Recipe: Sautéed Chanterelles with Bacon and Cream

Now is not the chanterelle season here in the Pacific Northwest, so it was a bit of a surprise to see the wild mushrooms at Costco last week. One pound for $8.99 was too hard to pass up. Even if eating light and local is what’s called for in the warm days of summer, chanterelles and smoked bacon together are hard to beat any time of year.

Rinse mushrooms under cool water to rid them of debris and pat them dry with kitchen towel. Shred larger mushrooms into smaller pieces, starting at the cap end and tearing along the stem with no piece wider than ½ inch. Leave small mushrooms intact.

Fry bacon in 12″ skillet over medium heat until crisp. With slotted spoon, remove bacon to a dish. In the rendered bacon fat, sauté mushrooms sprinkled with salt and pepper to taste, stirring occasionally, until most of their released liquid evaporates and the mushrooms begin to sizzle, about 10-15 minutes (depending on the their moisture content).

Add cream mixture, stir, and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened slightly. Off heat, stir in reserved bacon and lemon juice. Remove mushrooms to serving dish and sprinkle with parsley.